When Connecticut band Mile Marker Zero took the stage at Progstock 2021, I had read a bit about them without actually having heard them. There was a sneaking suspicion that MMZ were just not going to be my cup of tea. Happily, this collective had me leaving the theater with my jaw dragging along the floor. On the way out I bought several of their CDs. While the recorded output is good, it is nowhere near representative of the power Mile Marker Zero exhibits live. New album Coming Of Age seems to have been able to bridge the gap, harnessing the energy of live performance and bedding it to their studio savvy.
Coming Of Age is a concept album, full of darkness and light. A read through of the lyrics appears to tell the story of someone pulled from the brink of suicide to be given another chance at life. The protagonist looks backward and forward on all life’s ups and downs and realizes that the “best is yet to come”. The music joins on the roller coaster ride, from majestic balladry to Yes-inspired complexity to hard rocking workouts.
The story begins with the brief A Time In Place, a piano and vocal scene setter which showcases Mile Marker Zero’s superpower, vocalist Dave Alley. He can do sensitive and angry with equal conviction and has a phenomenal range. You are drawn into the story as he sings: “The undertow too strong to fight / The air is thick, the water cold / The thoughts and worries of drowning, alone / Like a light upon the sand, guide me back to where I began”.
A ferocious rhythm attack opens The Best Is Yet To Come. The music pulls back for the vocals, then adds burbling synths and frenetic, metal-style drumming for a heavier feel more reminiscent of recent MMZ. It’s a battle between guitars and synths to see who gets the more interesting solo parts, leaving the listener the clear winner.
What is especially notable and noticeable on this album is that, even amongst the sonic onslaught, Mile Marker Zero leaves enough space so that the songs never feel cluttered. Case in point: the slide guitar in Towns To Grow Up In turns the song upside down by clearing the instrumental deck to concentrate on the solo. Then the band return for an invigorating closing section where everyone piles on and spotlights their chops. Lyrically, the story moves into the protagonist’s past where he or she reminisces: “Memories…of every sound and street / Parks and bars…kisses under stars / Nights with friends…summers that would never end / We’re all a sum…of where we’ve all come from.”
Bizarre is all eighties synth sounds which introduce a more somber track. Spoken voices talk about growing up to become your parents despite your best intentions. John Tuohy’s guitar takes on a decidedly Gilmour-esque tone which fits the mood of the song perfectly. The angst of our teenage years is captured beautifully with the dark and moody tone of “Bizarre, we’re all so bizarre inside / Take care to hide yourself and throw away the key”. A fantastic kalimba-sounding motif provides the bedrock for the title track, Coming Of Age. For nearly eight minutes, propulsive drums and bass, courtesy of Doug Alley and Jaco Lindito respectively, give the song momentum while Mark Focarile’s keys do a masterful job of setting the mood. “You’re grown up” is the repeated chorus phrase which comes across as part admonition, part hopeful realization that one must “hold on to those that guide you / They’ll brace and keep you steady / Along the way”. The sounds of children in a playground add a feeling of both tension and hopefulness. Tuohy’s acoustic guitar solo over the din of the children is wonderfully done; nothing flashy, but all the more interesting for its nuance. By the time the screamed chorus returns, it seems to vindicate the sense of unease the song has been carrying all along.
Heavy Days lives up to its name courtesy of a pummeling riff and even when the song lightens up, it doesn’t last for long when another guitar and synth duel midway is killer. MMZ pack so many ideas into their songs that each one seems to circle in on itself, so each idea is allowed to breathe, get lost, and then find its way back. It can be both thrilling and disorienting, making you wish some parts would stick around a while longer to develop further. Doug Alley’s drums come to the fore on Far From Home, leaving holes just large enough for a dark synth riff to squeeze through. Lindito’s bass is a real standout on this track. The vocals are nearly always multitracked, giving them a feeling of power and depth which feels accentuated here. While the overall attitude of the song is metal, the execution is all finesse. The acoustic nature of End Of August feels a bit like catching a ragged breath. In keeping with the duality of the album, the call to “Take a picture while we’re here” carries an air of both happiness for what has been and resignation to what lies ahead. Nothing about coming of age is easy, and I suspect that most teens (I was one once, many years ago) would agree with that sentiment. Still, the aggression has drained from the album, hopefully an indication of learning to cope with the vicissitudes of life. After all, the song and the album end with a ray of light as “the best is yet to come” repeats over the coda.
Mile Marker Zero is a band that noticeably develops with each release. Coming Of Age is an apt title for their most mature release to date, one showcasing the band’s strengths as musicians and students of songcraft. It took a few listens for everything to fall into place, but I believe this is an album that will only garner more affection as it settles in.
TRACK LISTING
01. A Time In Place (1:46)
02. Best Is Yet To Come (7:40)
03. Towns To Grow Up In (7:31)
04. Bizarre (4:52)
05. Coming Of Age (7:58)
06. Heavy Days (7:18)
07. Far From Home (6:34)
08. End Of August (7:34)
Total Time – 51:09
MUSICIANS
Dave Alley – Lead & Backing Vocals, Additional Guitars, Keyboards
Doug Alley – Drums
Mark Focarile – Keyboards
Jaco Lindito – Bass Guitar, Mallet/Hand/Auxiliary Percussion, Background Vocals
John Tuohy – Guitars, Background Vocals
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Independent
Country of Origin: U.S.A.
Date of Release: 6th July 2024
LINKS
Mile Marker Zero (MMZ) – Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | YouTube | X